Journal of Geochemical Exploration 69–70 (2000) 685–688

www.elsevier.nl/locate/jgeoexp

Modelling the evolution of hydrocarbon systems in the inverted

West Netherlands Basin, the Netherlands
R.T. Van Balen*, F. Van Bergen, C. De Leeuw, H. Pagnier, E. Simmelink,
J.-D. Van Wees, H. Verweij
Department of Geo-Energy, Netherlands Institute of Applied Geoscience TNO–National Geological Survey, P.O. Box 80015,
3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands

Abstract
The hydrocarbon systems of the West Netherlands Basin are analysed using the two-dimensional forward modelling. Three
source rock intervals are considered in the modelling. The history of heatflow is calculated from the forward modelling of
tectonic subsidence. Modelling results show that the oil accumulations were filled just after the Sub-Hercynian inversion event
(⬃80 Ma), and that in the Westphalian gas system a potential exists for undiscovered reserves. Modelling of the Namurian gas
system shows that mixing with Westphalian gas is likely. The existence of a Namurian hydrocarbon system may also imply that
hydrocarbons are trapped at deeper, unexplored levels in the Westphalian and Namurian succession. 䉷 2000 Elsevier Science
B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: basin modelling; inversion; hydrocarbon systems; West Netherlands Basin

1. Introduction out in the framework of the mapping of the subsurface

In this paper, we present a study of the hydrocarbon
generation and migration in the West Netherlands
Basin (WNB). At present, the exploration of the
WNB is at a mature stage. The purpose of this study
is to understand and explain the evolution of known
hydrocarbon accumulations in terms of timing of
hydrocarbon generation, migration pathways and
generated volumes, in relationship to the tectonic
evolution of the basin. In addition to the relatively
well-known play-concepts based on the Lower Juras-
sic marine source rocks and Westphalian coals, a play
based on Namurian marine source rocks is analysed.
The results of this study may help to identify new
hydrocarbon accumulations. This study is carried
* Corresponding author. Fax: ⫹31-30-2564605.
E-mail address: r.vanbalen@nitg.tno.nl (R.T. Van Balen).
0375-6742/00/$ - see front matter 䉷 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S0375-674 2(00)00110-2
of the Netherlands, Map Sheets VII and VIII (in
progress).
The WNB is located in the southwestern part of the
Netherlands and the adjacent offshore area (Fig. 1).
The basin is bounded by the London Brabant Massif
in the south and the Zandvoort Ridge/IJmuiden High
in the north, which separates it from the Central Neth-
erlands Basin and the Broad Fourteens Basin.
Towards the southeast, the basin merges with the
Roer Valley Graben. The WNB is part of a system
of Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous transtensional
basins which includes the Central Netherlands
Basin, the Broad Fourteens Basin and the Roer Valley
Graben in the Netherlands, the Sole Pit Basin in the
UK sector of the North Sea, and the Lower Saxony
Basin in Germany (Fig. 1; Betz et al., 1987; Van
Wijhe, 1987; Ziegler 1990). The basins were inverted
in several events during Late Cretaceous to Oligocene
686 R.T. Van Balen et al. / Journal of Geochemical Exploration 69–70 (2000) 685–688

Fig. 1. Location of the West Netherlands Basin. A-A 0 denotes the modelled cross-section.

(Heybroek, 1974; Van Wijhe, 1987). The Neogene
accelerated subsidence rate, which occurred through-
out the Southern North Sea Basin (Kooi et al., 1989;
Van Balen et al., 1998), is also observed in the WNB.
2. Hydrocarbon system
In the WNB, also known as the Rijswijk oil
province, first oil was discovered in 1938 in Paleocene
sediments (Bodenhausen and Ott, 1981). After
geophysical surveys were conducted, the Rijswijk
field was discovered in 1953; many others were to
follow (Fig. 2). The two major exploration objectives
are the Upper Jurassic and the Lower Cretaceous
sandstones containing mainly oil …68 × 106 m3 oil
initially in place) but also significant amounts of gas
…5 × 109 m3 gas initially in place, GIIP), and gas accu-
mulations in the Lower Triassic sandstones …65 ×
109 m3 GIIP; De Jager et al., 1996). Structurally, the
gas accumulations occur mainly in fault-dip closures
which were formed during the Late Jurassic–Early
 R.T. Van Balen et al. / Journal of Geochemical Exploration 69–70 (2000) 685–688
Fig. 2. Detailed view of the WNB, including the location of hydrocarbon fields. The indicated fault pattern is based on preliminary mapping
results. A-A 0 denotes the modelled cross-section.
Fig. 3. Typical trap situation in the WNB: Gas occurs in tilted fault-
block structure (fault-dip closure), oil is situated in the overlying
anticline (after De Jager et al., 1996).
687
Cretaceous time period, and the oils are mainly
situated in the overlying anticlines which is the
product of Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary
tectonic inversion (Fig. 3). The oils in the accumula-
tions along the northern and eastern boundaries of the
WNB are biodegraded, which is likely to be related to
the freshwater influx during basin inversion.
The hydrocarbon systems of the WNB have been
analysed using the two-dimensional forward model-
ling. The studied cross-section traverses two of the
main hydrocarbon accumulations: the De Lier, and
Wassenaar fields. Three source rocks are considered:
Lower Jurassic oil-prone marine shales (Posidonia
Shale Formation); Westphalian gas-prone coal depos-
its; and Lower Namurian oil-prone marine “hot”
shales. The Namurian source rock has not been
encountered in the WNB, but its presence is likely
given the regional geologic evolution (Langenaeker,
1998).
Paleo-heatflow has been determined from
forward modelling of tectonic subsidence derived
688 R.T. Van Balen et al. / Journal of Geochemical Exploration 69–70 (2000) 685–688
from backstripping analyses, using a depth-dependent
lithospheric stretching model (Van Balen et al., 2000).
The fit of observed subsidence to the theoretical subsi-
dence was done automatically, based on a least-
squares approach. The derived heatflow history was
fine-tuned by comparing the observed vitrinite reflec-
tances to the predicted values, and by the present-day
temperatures in wells.
3. Modelling results
According to our modelling results (Van Balen et
al., 2000), the oil accumulations of the Lower Jurassic
hydrocarbon system were filled just after the Sub-
Hercynian inversion event (⬃80 Ma). As a conse-
quence, the observed biodegredation must have
taken place during the second (Pyrenean) inversion
phase (⬃35 Ma).
Westphalian gas accumulation started at the begin-
ning of the Early Cretaceous, which is surprising
given the tectonic activity during that time period;
the gas should have leaked away. The age is, however,
confirmed by constraints for the gas emplacement by
K–Ar dating of the illite growth (Lee et al., 1985). For
the southern part of the section, generation continues
until present-day, for the central and northern parts the
generation rate strongly declines at about 150 Ma.
This is caused by the differences in burial depths.
The acceleration of generation at about 160 Ma is
related to an increase in the burial rate and an increase
in the heatflow caused by the Late Jurassic–Early
Cretaceous rifting. Modelling results also show that
a potential exists for the undiscovered reserves of this
hydrocarbon system.
Because the oils of the Namurian hydrocarbon
system have been generated a long time ago, they
probably have not survived due to the high tempera-
ture and pressure conditions caused by burial. This is
confirmed by the vitrinite reflectances predicted by
the model, which indicate that the Lower Namurian
section is overmature. Therefore, the secondary
cracking of oil to gas is applied in the kinetic scheme
of the forward modelling. The modelling results show
that mixing of Namurian gas with Westphalian gas, as
inferred from geochemical analyses, is likely. The
existence of a Namurian hydrocarbon system may
imply that hydrocarbons are trapped at deeper levels
in the Westphalian and Namurian succession.
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